MMORPG : Ancient WORLD

"To my understanding, a Beast Comapion could not be stronger than the Master, so I don't think any beast will make any difference when I am on my own," Alex said, showing his stand to not let Ricin go through a procedure that could claim his life or abandon him.

Alex had a conversation with Ricin, who at this point was intelligent enough to understand and make a conscious decision, and even after knowing the danger, he was stubbornly fixated on going with the training process.

Ricin could not speak, but he could share his emotions very clearly because of the bond the two of them shared, and seeing his resolve to go ahead with the procedure even at the threat of death or worse, Alex could not just ignore it and make the cruel desition for him.

So, at this point, Alex was left with no choice but to try and reason with his guardians, even though he knew very well that to them, his life held the utmost priority because he was the sole hope of their and every domain inhabitant's survival.

"While it is true that your new Beast companion would be of little help in battle, it will be an immense help in scouting, tracking, and allowing you to listen and eavesdrop on your enemies, giving you a great advantage inside the ancestral realm,"

"I understand that you have an attachment to your companion, but the majority reason you have such attachment is because you two have a soul bond, and once you free him, you will understand it was the wise decision,"

"However, if you do not want to abandon him, then let him prove that he is worthy of staying by your side for an entire decade," Varon said, his usually calm and friendly voice caring a coldness to it.

'Maybe it's the soul bond, or I just want to complete the promises I made with Simba in my previous life,' Alex thought as the distant memory of him talking and making wild promises with a white cat flashed in his mind.

"The Ancestral land is a very dangerous place, where death looms at every corner, and no matter how much preparation you have made to escape or have means prepared to kill much stronger opponents, it all could be gone in an instant," Varon said, making Alex push the mater of Ricin to the back of his mind and listen with complete focus.

"The Ancestral land has a Master, a true Ruler capable of changing rules of the realm, and for his entertainment, he will make the invader participate in games with set rules, and they will have no choice but to play along to receive a reward or not participate and receive a heavy penalty,"

"After an individual enters the realm, they receive three law tokens, with each one representing a life, and the holder could not only be revived at the cost of a single token once but could also use the token to gain instant enlightenment of his chosen law,"

"The law token could also be stolen, and while it does not give one more life, it allows them to learn the mysteries of their law in a matter of moments."

"So you can guess how even if a twisted game is not ongoing, every invader will be looking to hunt others to acquire their token, which they could by just killing an individual,"

"The only way to return from that hell of place is by using a law token or by surviving the ten years, and one could only exit the realm if they are not in a battle or participating in a game,"

"If the current circumstances did not demand it, we would not have allowed you to enter the realm, but because Ahrimon has begun moving forward with his abhorrent ambitions, we have no choice,"

"So you will need any help you can to make sure that you survive and thrive in that place, and while the companion beast would be of little help, as I said, any help matters," Varon said, making it clear that either Ricin was undergoing the training or he needed to be released.

"SHRIIIIIIIIKKKKKKK"

Alex was facing a dilemma because he wanted to give Ricin the freedom to select his fate, but as his master, he did not want to see him die or, worse, experience extreme pain and hardship, all to get stranded between life and death.

After considering each option, Alex felt that releasing Ricin was the best option because even after releasing him, he could still help him evolve and become stronger, eventually becoming a guardian of the domain, but he felt it was not the right one.

Alex considered the situation by placing himself in it, and it was clear to him that he would want to go ahead with any adversity to stay with his master, who was all he had as a family.

Alex understood that the blood contract initially bound the creatures, but it gradually evolved into a soul bond, making the creature completely submissive to the master's will.

The soul bond caused the creature to perceive its master as the most beloved entity in the world, and while it also affected the master, it was to a lesser extent.

Despite their limited time together, a deep emotional connection had formed between them, so Alex wanted to give Ricin the opportunity because he understood that the damage to his body could be reversed using something like the Nirvana Elixir or just the Ancient Red Gem.

Ricin would still suffer from tremendous pain and could be in a state of coma for quite some time, but that was the price he needed to pay to grow strong.

While Alex felt bad about making Ricin go through such danger for the sake of staying with him, the only alternative was outright abandoning him, a choice he would only create after exhausting all available options.

"Elder Regalis, please make sure this little fellow survives the ordeal," Alex said, and the old Monarch nodded in agreement.

"SSSHHHHIIIIKK." Ricin growled happily, hearing Alex acknowledge his wish.

"Buddy, I will pray for your success, so make sure next time we meet, you will be healthy and strong and ready for a long and great adventure," Alex said, gently patting the neck of his small companion, who had grown into a formidable predator before his eyes.

After thanking Elder Regalis for his help, Alex returned to the training chamber and continued with his daily routine, with the sole aim of advancing to the Fifth Rank as quickly as possible.

The days passed, and a month slipped by, and now, at the moment, Alex could be seen seated in a meditation position, his shoulder-length hair floating under the influence of the miasmic aura of twisting grays, black, and a kaleidoscope of colors that cloaked him and his surroundings.

The surrounding ground was barren, with cracks forming on it at one moment while healing at the same time, making one easily mistake the phenomenon for some sort of time loop.

After a few minutes, the aura completely evaporated into the air before pitch darkness began to seep out of Alex's figure, calmly enveloping him in a giant cocoon.

Seconds turned to minutes and minutes into hours before finally, the cocoon of darkness dissolved into thin air, leaving behind Alex, who was still seated in his meditation position.

In an instant, Lady Luculia, Varon, and his two guardians appeared next to Alex, and moments later he raised his head as his eyes fluttered open, a smile slowly spreading across his face.